IT’S not unusual these days for bands to ask fans to help fund a new release but for their first new album for four years, British Sea Power have seen their supporters take it to a whole new level.

For as the band prepares to play Manchester next week as part of a major UK tour, they are preparing to welcome several ‘superfans’ into the dressing room.

Five of them have paid £1,500 to have a special British Sea Power tattoos which entitles them to see the band for free wherever they play for life.

“The tattoo idea started off as a bit of a joke,” said guitarist Martin Noble, “but it sort of took off. I think people relished the ridiculousness of it.

“We’d tested the waters with Sea of Brass which was a release on our own label that was based on pre-orders so we knew it was do-able so we sent message out to fans and we had so many really positive replies. Then the uptake on tattoos was pretty nuts

“In the end five people have got tattoos entitling them to go to our gigs for life and 10 more have got a three year pass to gigs.”

It should come as no surprise that British Sea Power are involved in something creatively different - that’s the way their whole career has progressed since their first album - The Decline of British sea Power - in 2003.

“Maybe we’re bored easily,” said Martin, “but we do like a challenge.”

So although it may be four years since their last album, as well as working on their new release Let the Dancers Inherit the Party, which is released tomorrow the band have been working on film soundtracks and even music for an Estonian computer game. Last night they played a special show at the Barbican in London where they played a specially-composed score to accompany a Polish animation.

“As though we didn’t have enough to do,” said Martin “We did think long and hard about that given we had a tour and a new album but we all agreed it was something we really wanted to do.”

The new album, Let the Dancers Inherit the Party, marks a slightly different direction for the band.

“We were very conscious that sometimes in the past we have thrown a lot of different kinds of songs on an album maybe just because we liked them,” said Martin, “ but perhaps they didn’t gel together.

“I don’t think we have made a record before which you can put on and where the mood carries all the way through. Maybe it’s less of a challenging listen but in a good way.”

On Tuesday, British Sea Power play the Ritz in Manchester as part of their tour which for once is calling at traditional rock venues. In the past they have been known to play in more unusual surroundings.

“After all this time it makes a change to go back to normal venues and have a proper light show and a good PA,” he laughed. “But it will be particularly good for us to play Manchester it’s the nearest we get to a hometown gig for us.

Martin lived in Bury for a number of years and three of the band come from Kendal.

British Sea Power, Manchester Ritz, Tuesday, April 11.